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Helpful Dog Training Tips

February 1, 2017

Does your canine friend know—and obey—basic doggy obedience commands? If so, that’s great! Proper training is very important, for both petiquette and safety reasons. If your pooch could still use a bit more schooling, read on! In honor of Dog Training Education Month, which starts today, February 1st, a Newmarket, ON vet from Armitage Animal Clinic offers some great doggy training tips.

Key Commands

Start by teaching your four-legged buddy basic commands. The five most important ones are Sit, Stay, Come, Heel, and Lay Down. Work on one thing at a time, and make sure Fido has mastered each command before moving on to the next.

Advanced Training

Once your pooch has mastered basic obedience commands, you can move on to advanced training. Leave It is actually a very helpful command: you really don’t want Fido picking up that chicken leg he found at the park! Man’s Best Friend can also learn many other useful things. You may even be able to teach your furry pal to turn the lights on and off, or to wipe his paws before coming inside.

Tactics

There are many different tactics for training dogs. We strongly recommend sticking to those that reward Fido for doing well. Avoid methods that rely on negative reinforcement, such as shock collars. Dogs simply don’t understand punishment, so these tactics often just leave our canine buddies feeling scared, anxious, or confused.

Rewards

As noted above, it’s best to use methods that reward good behavior. Needless to say, Fido probably won’t be very excited about getting a gold star. Treats, on the other hand, can definitely make a great impression. Use healthy snacks, and offer your canine pal small portions, so you don’t accidentally overfeed him.

School Sessions

Fido has a fairly short attention span, so take care not to bore your adorable student with long classes. Shorter daily sessions are much better. Aim for about 15-30 minutes at a time. At first, work in a quiet place that is free of distractions. Don’t work with your dog if you are feeling grouchy, though: Man’s Best Friend is very intuitive, and will quickly pick up your mood. You don’t want your furry buddy to form a bad impression about training!